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SIHH 2017: Montblanc - TimeWalker Chronograph Rally Timer Counter

The famous Rally Timer stopwatch produced by Minerva for recording road racing is theinspiration behind the new Montblanc TimeWalker Chronograph Rally Timer Counter Limited Edition 100, recently presented on occasion of the salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2017.

The wristwatch, with its elegant black leather calf strap and all the design codes of the new Montblanc TimeWalker Collection, can be easily converted into a pocket watch by simply folding the strap attachments under the case and turning the case from 0 to 180 degrees (or from 3 to 9 o’clock).

The pocket watch can then be either placed on a table thanks to two arms below the case, used as a stopwatch with the strap as a handle for utmost security, or clipped into a metal plate covered with leather that attaches to a car’s dashboard, offering a highly functional and extremely legible timepiece when behind the wheel.

The original Minerva Rally Timer on the background

The 50 mm case is crafted out of grade-two titanium and has been satinated to enhance the technical look.

The middle section of the case has also been knurled and coated with black DLC to accentuate the motor racing spirit. Satin-finished titanium is also the material of choice for the vintage-inspired knurled monopusher, crown and the versatile strap attachments.

The black dial with Arabic figures and Super-LumiNova indexes features large dauphine hour and minute hands. The chronograph’s 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock is vertically aligned with the small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock.

The central red chronograph second hand runs along a tachymeter scale, which can be used to calculate speeds over fixed distances.

The timepiece is powered by the Manufacture manually wound monopusher chronograph calibre MB M16.29 which takes its inspiration from the original Minerva calibre 17.29 developed in the 1930s, used for both pocket watches and wristwatches.

Visible through an opened caseback in the shape of a car grill and featuring a column wheel, horizontal coupling and a power reserve of 50 hours, the movement is carefully hand-finished — Côtes de Genève stripes, inner angles, circular graining and bevelling — and characterized by details such as the iconic Minerva arrow, a chronograph bridge shaped in the form of a "V" (a shape that was patented in 1912), and a large screwed balance that has a traditional frequency of 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour.

The timepiece is water-resistant to 30 metres / 100 feet and has been rigorously tested by the Montblanc Laboratory Test 500, simulating intense real-life wear for over 500 hours.

The Montblanc TimeWalker Chronograph Rally Timer Counter Ref. 116103 is a limited edition of 100 pieces with a price of around Euro 37,000 / US 40,000. montblanc.com